The present invention relates to a portable and easily storable device for selective torso muscle conditioning and development.
While there are a large number of multi-exercise machines on the market, there is a need for an economical and efficient one which focuses on conditioning the torso and the related upper/lower ABS muscles. A device of simplified construction, yet having versatility of uses, is much to be desired.
Abdo U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,303 of Feb. 8, 2000 is to an abdominal exercise device and describes one in which the vertical resistance member 22 (FIGS. 1-6) provides for its deflection only in a horizontal plane for its U-shaped arm support member 23 mounted thereon. This limitation permits only a torso (trunk) rotational exercise while a user is gripping hand grasps 37/38. Similarly, Prusick U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,317 of Nov. 14, 2000, is described for strengthening abdominal and lower back muscles, but permits rotation of his flexible mast 30 only in a reciprocal vertical plane by the user exerting backward pressure against resilient member 30.
By contrast with the present invention, having mast 20 (FIG. xc2xd) being disposed at an angle, such allows for deflection within both the horizontal and vertical planes, whereby the larger number of exercises are made possible, specifically main ABS, oblique ABS, lower ABS, thighs, and calves.
The presently disclosed device has additional useful features, the first being an adjustable height, sleeve-like collar riding on the mast component. The resulting adjustable height of the U-shaped grippable bands can accommodate the varying heights of users, and offer two modes when the bracket setting on the collar in the upper reach for the main ABS and oblique ABS, and alternatively, the bracket setting is in its lower reach for lower ABS, thighs, and calves.
The slidable collars provide it with a plunger pin 40 (FIG. 2) which allows the associated handles to more move upwardly and/or downwardly quite readily, affording the alternate exercise modes of operation.
By now providing for the mast and associated handles to be aligned proximal to, and anchored centrally of the seat component forward edge, this triples the number of body exercises that can be enjoyed with the device employing a single mast. In this arrangement, the user can perform a front rotation while the device straddles a chair available in the home.
It is, therefore, a principal object of the invention to provide a portable torso/abdominal (ABS) exercise machine that exercises the entire torso muscle set, and, secondarily, works the thighs and calf muscles.
It is a still further object of the invention to use the arms and thighs to provide the force needed to effect a workout of the ABS/and calves muscles.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide for ABS-calves exercises without need for inclusion of a counter resistence means, like dampers and/or weighted pulley sets.
A yet further object of the invention is provide a portable exercise device which is positioned upon a supporting chair, temporarily anchored in place by the user""s weight, and relies on inherent resilience of a single device component to provide the resistance needed to the exertion of user""s arms and thighs.
The operating advantages of the present device include: (a) the support mast serving as a restorative force member and affording repetitive resistance; (b) an angled energy restorative force member providing for both vertical and horizontal deflections and thus plural exercises with one portable machine; (c) handles heights being adjusted vertically on the resilient mast for alternative sets or exercises with either a handy upward or downward orientation of the grippable handles.
According to the invention, there is provided a multi-exercise device adapted to be positioned during use on an conventional armless and firm supporting chair, while being temporarily pinned thereto, by virtue of the weight of a user seated astraddle same upon the cushion component of the exercise device; an elongated rigid first member is provided which is secured lengthwise of the seating pad preferably on the undersurface along its proximal (to the user) longitudinal end, and having a formed but resilient single mast member, which mast is anchored at the lower end thereof to the distal longitudinal end of the elongate first member; the centrally-located mast member is slanted outwardly and fixedly from its lower anchor point; a slidable, rigid collar-like member is mounted normally proximal on the upper longitudinal end of the mast member; an elongate, two element bracket set is adapted to straddle the collar component in a fixed angular juxtaposition, which bracket extends outwardly and upwardly; such bracket can be shifted along same to varied horizontal positions, and locked thereat, so as to accommodate the physical dimensions of several users; a cylindrical bar is journalled horizontally and transversely through the outer longitudinal ends of the bracket set; a set of laterally extending, handle bars are pivotally secured to the cylindrical bar outer ends; the handle bar set is rotatable between an upper and lower extension modes of orientation, depending upon which exercise groups are intended: (a) arms in upright positionxe2x80x94torso/upper and main Abs; and, (b) arms folded in down positionxe2x80x94lower Abs, calves, and thighs.
The mast member is fabricated from somewhat flexible material of construction, like polyurethane, which thus provides some resistance to torso flexing in any of one of several directions which are being imposed thereon by the user""s arms and knees. The polyurethane flexible rod (black in color) is a counter resistance means for this product.